Janine Walker

What if there is nothing wrong with you that needs fixing, but parts of you that are longing to be felt, heard and understood?

Perhaps you have become disconnected from yourself, caught in patterns you don’t fully understand, or find yourself struggling with grief, relationships, shame, anxiety, change or a loss of meaning. Maybe you have spent a long time coping, adapting and being there for others, while something inside you is quietly asking for something different.

You don’t need to know exactly what doesn't feel right, or have the right words to describe what you are experiencing. We can begin wherever you are.

For me, therapy isn't a process of fixing what is wrong with you. Instead, I see it as an invitation to slow down, become curious and develop a deeper and kinder relationship with yourself - to listen to what your body, emotions and different parts may be telling you, to understand the experiences that have shaped you, and to reconnect with your own inner resources. Perhaps, over time, this can create more space to feel, more freedom to choose, and a greater sense of being able to live in a way that feels authentic and meaningful to you.

I understand choosing a counsellor is a personal decision and it is important you feel comfortable with the person you choose. With this in mind, I offer a FREE 20 minute telephone consultation, giving us an opportunity to talk about what has brought you to therapy, to ask any questions and to get a sense of whether we will work well together.

How I work

I believe we all have a deep longing to feel a sense of connection and belonging and so I place our therapeutic relationship at the heart of our work because I am of the view being genuinely met by another person can be a powerful and healing experience.  

I will offer warmth, compassion and genuine presence, providing a space where you can bring all of yourself, including the parts that may feel difficult, painful, confusing or hard to put into words.

Together, we can slow things down and gently become curious about your experience, without judgement or the pressure to change before you are ready.

My approach is integrative and relational, weaving in my love of experiential, somatic, and parts work and informed by my explorations in spirituality, existentialism and embodiment.

I hold the view our experiences are held not only in our thoughts and stories, but also in our bodies, emotions, relationships and ways of being in the world. Rather than simply talking about what has happened to you, we may gently explore what is happening within you, in the here and now.

The relationship between us

I see therapy as something we explore together, not something done to you. With warmth, compassion and genuine curiosity, I pay attention to what unfolds both within you and between us.

I believe the therapeutic relationship itself can become a place where you can experience being heard, accepted and understood. Sometimes moments of uncertainty, discomfort or emotion within our relationship can offer valuable opportunities to notice familiar patterns and explore a different way of being with another person.

My hope is that, over time, you can bring more of yourself into the room, including the parts you may have learned to hide, silence or believe were somehow unacceptable.

Somatic and embodied work

Our bodies can communicate experiences that are sometimes difficult to put into words. You may notice tension, heaviness, numbness, restlessness, a tightness in your chest, a feeling in your stomach, changes in your breathing, or an impulse to move towards or away from something.

With care and at your own pace, we can become curious about these sensations and what they might be communicating.

Somatic work is not about forcing you to relive difficult experiences. It is about developing a gentler awareness of your body and learning to listen to its signals, needs and wisdom. Through noticing breath, sensation, movement, impulses and shifts in your experience, you may begin to feel more grounded, present and connected with yourself.

Parts work

I am also interested in parts work, the idea that we can all experience different parts or aspects of ourselves, particularly in response to life experiences and relationships.

You may recognise a part of you that wants to please everyone, another that needs to stay in control, one that feels frightened or ashamed, and perhaps another that longs to be free, playful or more fully yourself.

Rather than seeing these parts as problems to get rid of, we can approach them with curiosity, compassion and respect. Often, the ways we have learned to protect ourselves developed for very good reasons.

Together, we can begin to understand what these different parts may be trying to do for you, what they may need, and whether there are new possibilities available to you now. This can create a greater sense of inner space, choice and freedom, allowing you to relate to yourself with more kindness rather than criticism or conflict.

Meaning, existentialism and spirituality

Lastly, but not least, I am drawn to the existential questions of being human that can arise when life changes or asks something of us. Questions such as: Who am I? Where do I belong? What matters to me? How do I want to live? What gives my life meaning? How do I live with uncertainty, loss and mortality?

These questions can emerge particularly strongly around grief, illness, major life transitions and experiences that challenge our understanding of ourselves or the world.

If spirituality is important to you, this too is welcome in our work. Spirituality can mean many things. It might involve faith or religion, nature, connection, mystery, the sacred, the soul, a sense of something greater than ourselves, or simply a longing for deeper meaning and purpose. You do not need to hold any particular beliefs. I will meet you where you are and remain curious about what spirituality or meaning means for you.

A little about me

I have worked for over 30 years in both the public and private sectors, supporting people to make empowering changes in their lives. Alongside my counselling training, I have trained as a spiritual counsellor, homoeopath and yoga teacher. These experiences have shaped my understanding of the interconnectedness of body, mind, emotions, relationships and spirit, and continue to inform who I am as a counsellor.

I currently volunteer as a counsellor at St Elizabeth Hospice, supporting people through experiences of loss, change and uncertainty.

My particular areas of interest are:

● Grief, bereavement and loss, including the many ways loss can change us

● Somatic and embodied experience, and developing a deeper relationship with the body, especially around food and the transition during motherhood and menopause.

● Parts work, including understanding protective patterns and different aspects of ourselves.

● Attachment and relationships, and the ways our early experiences can shape how we connect with others.

● Trauma and shame, approached with compassion and sensitivity.

● Spirituality and the care of the soul, including questions of meaning, connection and what feels sacred.

● Existential questions around identity, belonging, freedom, choice, purpose, illness, dying and death.

● Life transitions and meaning-making, particularly when the life we expected and the life we are living no longer feel the same.

● Feeling stuck, disconnected or lost, and finding a way back towards yourself.

I have a limited number of spaces offering sessions at a reduced fee and would be happy to discuss further if you’re experiencing financial difficulties. 

I am a registered member of the BACP and UKCP and am bound by their Code of Ethics.